Page 21 of Legacy of Thorns
Archie let out a soft, wordless cry of caution, but she had already reached her hand toward the greenery. The leaves andbranches stirred, pulling back from her touch. As they moved, they picked up speed until a path had formed leading into the middle of the bramble patch.
Daphne turned a satisfied expression on the rest of them. “Well, come on! We don’t have long!” She stepped between the brambles.
Morrow and Nisha exchanged a look before both shrugging and following her. As she led the way, the brambles continued to move until they revealed a central hollow in the middle of the patch.
Archie gave a silent whistle and followed, his adoring eyes fixed on Daphne as he slipped between the brambles. When he reached her, he sat on the ground, alongside Morrow and Nisha, ensuring their heads stayed low and out of sight.
Daphne remained standing, however, her gaze turned back toward Finley, a challenge in their depths. Shaking his head, he followed his brother.
As soon as he reached the hollow, she touched the brambles again and they closed behind him, leaving only the central space that sheltered them. It was large enough for all five of them to sit, but only just.
He and Daphne had only just settled on the ground when footsteps raced past, voices calling to each other. The five inside the brambles kept quiet, and Finley held his breath, straining his ears as he listened to their pursuers stream by. There seemed to be more of them than he had seen before.
He turned his gaze to Daphne, hoping she couldn’t read his feelings on his face. Once again she had surprised and impressed him. Without her assistance, they would have been in serious trouble.
When the forest settled back into silence, he ventured a whisper. “How did you do that? Do brambles usually part at your touch?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I’ve never tried it before.”
“You’ve…never….tried it before?” he repeated slowly, his admiration turning to indignation.
“I don’t like running,” she repeated. “This seemed much more efficient.”
“We could all have been caught if it didn’t work,” he growled.
“We would have been caught eventually anyway,” she said, apparently unconcerned. “You might be able to run forever, but the rest of us can’t. Only think of your brother. What state must his muscles be in after sleeping for weeks?”
Finley glanced at Archie and was dismayed to see him massaging his calves. Usually Archie could run longer than Finley.
“Don’t worry about me,” his brother said with his usual cheer. “The cramps will die down soon.”
Finley looked slowly back at Daphne, abashed. She was yawning.
“The Legacy power must have been building in this area ever since Archer was put to sleep,” she said. “Probably even before that since it prompted the local lord to confiscate all those looms. So it seemed logical that if I just woke an enchanted sleeper, I should be able to part brambles as well. At least until the Legacy power in the region dies down or decides I’m no longer a focus of its attention.”
“That’s brilliant,” Archie murmured, smiling admiringly at her. “You’re as intelligent as you are beautiful.”
“You do know it’s only the Legacy making you think that, right?” She gave him a stern look. “You should be busy admiring girls your own age.”
Archie puffed up his chest. “There’s barely an age difference between us! And there’s no way the Legacy is the only reason I think you’re beautiful. I have eyes in my head.” He turned tolook at Finley. “Back me up, Fin. Tell Daphne how stunningly beautiful she is.”
Caught off guard, Finley coughed.
“Tell her, Fin!” Archie demanded.
Finley’s eyes jumped everywhere but Daphne as he managed to croak out, “I’m sure anyone would agree that Daphne has a beautiful face.”
His swiftly moving gaze finally fell on her, and his embarrassment immediately melted away. At some point during Archie’s speech, she had lain her head on her raised knees and fallen asleep.
“Is it the Legacy?” Archie cried, his voice rising in his panic. “Is she in an enchanted sleep?”
“Hush!” Nisha said sharply.
“That’s just Daphne,” Morrow reassured him. “She sleeps a lot.”
“What? Why?” Archie still watched her with concern. “Are you sure it’s not my fault? Because of the Legacy?”
“It is the Legacy, but it’s not your fault,” Finley said softly. “She’s lived most of her life in Glandore, and the effect seems to have lingered.”
